Gambit (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
| "Gambit" | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: The Next Generation episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 7 Episode 4 & 5 |
| Directed by |
Peter Lauritson (Part I) Alexander Singer (Part II) |
| Story by |
Naren Shankar (Parts I & II) Christopher Hatton (Part I) |
| Teleplay by |
Naren Shankar (Part I) Ronald D. Moore (Part II) |
| Featured music | Jay Chattaway |
| Production code | 256 & 257 |
| Original air date | October 11, 1993 October 18, 1993 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
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"Gambit" is the 156th and 157th episodes of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, which are the fourth and fifth episodes of the seventh season.
After hearing a rumor that Captain Picard has been murdered while on an archeological dig, the Enterprise crew sets out to find the smugglers who may have been responsible.
Riker, Troi, Crusher, and Worf investigate Picard's whereabouts in a musty bar, describing him as a "smooth-headed" human. They find a criminal who knows something; he says that Picard had been asking a group about some artifacts when a fight broke out and Picard was "vaporized".
Many of the crew members accept this as true, but Riker insists on finding out who killed Captain Picard instead of attending a memorial service starting an argument with Counseler Troi telling him the crew is hurting and angry but is shouted down whisperedly by a harsh Riker. The crew begins by retracing Picard's steps, and this leads them to a planet housing one of the most ancient archaeological sites in the galaxy. However, the artifacts have been stolen by a group of mercenaries. While Riker, Worf, LaForge, and a few ensigns are exploring, a variety of humanoids beam down and attack the away team. They kill one ensign and capture Commander Riker.
Riker is taken on board the mercenary ship, which is commanded by Arctus Baran. Riker finds that a device has been implanted within his body which allows Baran to inflict pain on him. Everyone on the ship has similar devices implanted in his body, which is how Baran controls his crew. Riker soon discovers that Picard is alive and in the company of these criminals, and is apparently doing business with them. Picard tells the crew that Riker is an officer with a history of insubordination who was once even relieved of duty. Picard secretly manufactures a warp drive malfunction, giving Riker a chance to prove himself to Baran.
Later, Picard visits Riker in his quarters. He reveals that he went to study an archaeological site but found that it had been ransacked. Tracing those responsible to a bar, Picard confronted them, but was captured and taken prisoner. He then revealed that the criminals had configured some of their weapons so that if they shot someone or something with one of these modified weapons it would instead activate the transporter and beam away the target—which is why the people in the bar thought he'd been vaporized when shot. Picard managed to convince the crew that he was an archaeologist (named Galen, the name of his mentor who was shown in the episode "The Chase"). Picard reveals that they are looking for specific ancient artifacts of Romulan origin, and that Baran is having Picard search through the relics they've stolen for these specific artifacts.
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